basic fear

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 3b)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help , , , , , ,

levels 3b
I HATE BEING “AVERAGE”
but I’m working my way up!

PREVIOUS: Levels of Development #3a

BOOK: “Personality Types “~ Riso & Hudson (excerpt pages)


MEANING of the 3 Mental Health GROUPINGS (cont.)
AVERAGE (4-6) – ALL Types
LEVEL 4 – Imbalance
External Behaviors – We are non-conforming, dilettante or expert, we acquire technique, collect, delay closure, practice, prepare, study, withdraw
Internal Attitudes – We are acquisitive, abstracting, encyclopedic, knowledgeable, uncensored, uncertain. We analyze, build models, conceptualize & ‘fine tune’conforming

Desire is To – feel safer and more confident by retreating into our mind and imagination (like a Tinker Toy)
Basic Fear of this Level – That others will demand too much of us, & then our inner world will be threatened.

At Level 4, we become more attached to / identified with a self-image we’ve created, & tend to reject any of our qualities and actions not consistent with that ‘picture’. Protecting our self-image comes at the price of limiting our options. We now believe that by striving after the qualities listed at Level 2, we’ll be able to meet our needs. Dissatisfied with reality, we become high-minded idealists, thinking it’s up to us to improve everything & can become crusaders, critics, advocates. We get into “causes” & try to explain to others how things “ought” to be.
* * * *
LEVEL 5 – Inter-personal Control
External Behaviors – We are flighty, high-strung, impractical, interpreting, offbeat, preoccupied, secretive, speculative. We create fantasy worlds, compartmentalizing ourselves & the parts of our lives
Internal Attitudes – We are agitated, absent-minded, detached, distant, indiscriminate, intense – complexifying, minimizing & ignoring our needsrigid anxious

Desire is To – shut out intrusions (be more ‘in their head’)
Basic Fear of this Level – That others are attacking our niche or our competency

At Level 5 we’re afraid of making a mistake, so everything must be consistent with our ideals. Internally, we become orderly & well-organized, but emotionally constricted, impersonal & puritanical, rigidly keeping feelings and impulses in check. Often workaholics, can get anal-compulsive, fastidious, punctual & pedantic.

● The main strategy used with others is manipulating & controlling inter-personal relationships. We really insist that people accept our self-image, but unfortunately they don’t always respond the way we want, leading to tension and conflict.
● At this Level, we start to see the Shadow Issue of each type. As its name implies, this is a hidden element of our personality which represents the major defect each type needs to correct in order to grow.
* * * * *
LEVEL 6 – Over-compensation
External Behaviors – We are contentious, far-fetched, insensitive, prickly, scornful, submissive. We argue antagonize, provoke, rationalize
Internal Attitudes – We are cynical, extreme, greedy, impatient, intellectually arrogant, pessimistic, stingy. We distrust & jump to conclusionsuptight anxious

Desire is To – scare off anyone who threatens our niche or inner world
Basic Fear of this Level (red flag) – That we’re never going to find our place with people or in the world

Throughout the Levels, the strategies we use is an attempt to ‘manage’ underlying feelings of anger, shame, or fear.
At Level 6 we over-compensate for those emotions. We’re so desperate to have others accept our self-image that we act out in truly offensive ways – are abrasive, indignantly angry, moralize, scold.
● We’re highly critical both of self and others: judgmental, picky, perfectionistic. Impatient, never satisfied with anything unless it is done according to our prescriptions.
● Very opinionated about everything: correcting people and badgering them to “do the right thing” – as we see it.

From:  “The Everything Enneagram Book“ by Susan Reynolds
“While it’s true that part of your type is genetically predetermined, without question your early childhood experiences vastly affect your development.
The quality and style of parenting, in conjunction with environmental givens — health, income, education, location, and wealth or dearth of physical, emotional, or spiritual resources — have everything to do with your ability to function at the higher, the middle, or the lower spectrum of your EnneaType.

You began life whole, but whatever happened in your early life led to the development of a set of adaptive behaviors that suppressed your essence and created a self driven by its own self-constructed ego.ennea symbol
These traits are sustained by habit and the failure to examine your beliefs. If your childhood was particularly dysfunctional, your coping mechanisms will likely be more rigid and more neurotic than those people who had “normal” or idyllic upbringings. Fear grows in proportion to the dysfunction — the greater your early childhood family’s dysfunction the greater your underlying fear, anger, or need for relationship.”

NEXT: Levels of Development – part 3c

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 3a)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help , , , , , ,

galaxy  

I WANT TO IMPROVE MY LEVEL
so I can live better

PREVIOUS: Healthy Levels (Part 2)

SITE: “Identity & Type”

 

ANALOGY: Psychological layers (like the Ennea-levels) are like layers of apparel – how we ‘clothe’ ourselves, but are not our Essence.
● Outer layer – what we present to the world – is like a man’s jacket. He can easily put it on or take it off, but it’s what he usually wears when he goes out. 3 levels
● Middle layer – how we are with our family & friends – is like his pants and shirt. He can take them off, but is not likely to do so and then walk down the street in his underwear.
● Inner layer – what we only show to the most intimate, or keep totally private – is like his underwear. He can easily take it off, but like most people, isn’t willing to walk naked through town. At home, he’ll first take off his jacket, later his pants and shirt, & will be naked when taking a shower. His clothes are what he uses, they’re not who he is.

MEANING of the 3 Mental Health GROUPINGS (see Part 2)
Everyone has the opportunity to go for the achievements or tackle the lessons of the various Levels, no matter which Type we are, but how we handle the tasks & demands of any given Level will depend on our Number.

Most often, people live within a certain continuum of consciousness they believe to be their ‘self’, anywhere from the clarity of ‘Presence’ (Level 1) to self-harming behaviors (9). In any given moment, we are more OR less Present, in contact with ‘Being’ (Human Being rather than a Human Do-ing). Presence distinguishes the Essential from the ego-self, the real from the illusory.

Starting in 1973, Don Riso observed that a person might be healthy (high-functioning), average (‘normal’), or unhealthy (destructive to self & others), depending on what was motivating him/her at any given time.
He also observed that while people’s basic Type tends to stay the same throughout life, the level they’re functioning from can fluctuate a great deal day-to-day, as well as over the years.

HEALTHY (1-3) – ALL Types
LEVEL 1 – Liberation level 1 optimal
External Behaviors – I’ve become compassionate, energetic, enraptured, knowing, pioneering, profound, revolutionary, visionary
Internal Attitudes – I’m awed, clear-minded, comprehending, immediately discerning, non-attached, participating, trusting

Self-Actualization – I let go of the identification with a particular self-image, & are separate from the environment (an outside observer)
Basic Fear of this LEVEL – Being helpless, incapable, overwhelmed, useless

At our best (no matter which Type) we become extraordinarily wise and discerning. We no longer see ourselves as limited & incomplete, having integrated qualities that were rejected at Level Two, & so truly come into balance with ourselves. When living from Level 1 we realize that we in fact DO possess what we were always looking for. By accepting what is, we become transcendentally realistic, knowing the best action to take in each moment. We are connected to ‘the Truth’ – humane, hopeful & an inspiration to others
* * * * *
LEVEL 2 – Psychological Capacity
External Behaviors – I’ve become aware, curious, clever, perceptive, playful, unusual
Internal Attitudes – I’m attentive, fascinated, have sensory acuity, objective, observant, unsentimentalcompetence
Desire is To – be capable & competent (have something to contribute)
Basic Fear of this Level – Of not being smart enough, since our intuition & perceptions aren’t strong enough to give us confidence.

At Level 2 we achieve the full potential that our ‘personality’ allows us, for the most part being very open-minded & tolerant. Although we have preferences at this level, we can act largely without bias. We recognize our gifts, talents & qualities – trusting them: we are conscientious, have strong personal convictions, an intense sense of right and wrong, with personal spiritual & moral values. Our desire is to be mature, moderate in all things rational, reasonable & self-disciplined.
* * * * *
LEVEL 3 – Social Value
External Behaviors – I’m communicative, creative, innovative, inventive, learning, original, skillful, tinkering
Internal Attitudes – I’m concentrating, exploratory, focused, independent, open-minded, patient, uncompromising, whimsicalsocial interest
Desire is To – master something in order to gain confidence & create a niche for ourselves
Basic Fear of this Level – not having anything of valuable to contribute (unprepared)

At Level 3 we form a stronger identification with our self-image, & want to share our talents & abilities, believing that they will have a positive impact on those around us. Extremely principled, we always want to be fair, objective & ethical: truth and justice are primary values. It’s no longer enough to just hold a certain picture of ourselves in order to stave off underlying anxieties. We also want to show others who we are – with personal integrity & a sense of responsibility – which reinforces our self-image. Having a higher purpose often leads to being teachers & ‘witnesses to the truth’.

NEXT: Levels of Development – “AVERAGE”